At first I was skeptical about the opportunity for international candidates to study medicine for free in Cuba… Now, four years into my medical studies I believe living and studying in Cuba has shaped who I am and given me a host of applicable lessons of personal and academic growth. I am convinced that no other school would have offered me the support system, challenges and wisdom this experience entails. ELAM not only represents the place where I am getting my medical education; it is a place where I have found a family, become bilingual and made extraordinary memories.